The Pikes Peak Gold Rush was a bust for many poor prospectors panning for a jackpot. But medical marijuana dispensary owners in Fort Collins are hoping for a boom during today’s “420 rush.” They’re expecting to attract more patients looking to celebrate the April 20 marijuana holiday with competitive sales and promotions (Coloradoan). Still, the business owners maintain the 4/20 tradition is all about “protest,” a fight for the right to light one, legally, regardless of medicinal purposes.

No place is more symbolic of the cause than the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus, to the consternation of administrators who claim the publicly puffing masses “denigrate” the school’s academic value (Daily Camera). They’re not the only ones less than thrilled about today’s smoke-out (Colorado Daily), but food slingers on the Hill are mostly agreeable, planning to cash in on stoner appetites (Colorado Daily).

The Denver rally is anticipated to draw tens of thousands of participants (Westword), while organizers of Colorado Springs’ Field of Dreamz 4/20 Festival are taking a different approach by forgoing the smoke during the daylong event in America the Beautiful Park (Gazette). Good luck with that one, guys.